Mayor says he has received a number of complaints

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Disposable gloves now litter grocery store parking lots and city streets as residents try to protect themselves from catching the coronavirus. Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry thought enough was enough and took to social media to tell people to be more responsible.

“I received a number of phone calls and a couple of emails or text messages that indicated that it was a problem and then I saw it myself,” Mayor Henry said. “I think it’s in response to their fear that they would somehow contaminate themselves or carry the virus home. So, once they use the gloves when they go into stores to shop, specifically in grocery stores, they’re taking the gloves off near their cars and just dropping the gloves.”

It’s not just parking lots where people are discarding used gloves. News 6 found them right outside Daytona State College and in the median across from Mainland High School. Several gloves were found in the Walmart parking lot off Beville Road. Kevin East noticed them as he was leaving the store.

"I think that's messed up. They shouldn't be doing that stuff. I mean that's contagious right there. People come by and pick it up. There are people working here, already trying to work and it's dangerous. It's pretty bad," he said.

Mayor Henry said fines will not be imposed for littering the ground with gloves, but he hopes by addressing the issue, residents will think twice.

"This is a crisis that we're in and we understand the fear. But, let's be responsible and let's realize that we're all in this together and we will only survive if we all do our part," he said.

News 6 called the City of Ormond Beach and the Ormond Beach Police Department and they said they have not received any formal complaints.